The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-07-21
HANGMAN's GULCH.
How Noted Locality Got Its Name. An
Incident Of Early Colorado Life.

How Noted Locality Got Its Name. An
Incident Of Early Colorado Life.
The fame of Green Russell's exploits
as prospector spread all over the
country, and at one time Pixies Peak or
bust became the cry of large number
of restless spirits in the East. The
beautiful country known as the Divide,
near the head waters of Cherry and
other creeks, was all this time the Mec-
ca of gold seekers from all parts, until,
from an uninhabited frontier it became
the center of a large population, all en-
gagged in the one calling OF wash
ing out the auriferous sands. How
much was ever rocked, panned or sluiced
out in those days was never absolutely
been very large. On one of the richest
tributaries of Cherry Creek large
population had settled, and every hum
dred yards or SO might be seen men
digging, sluicing, panning, working as
if their very lives depended upon it.
Among them were two men or partners,
named Jack Holt and Bill Flemming,
whose luck was exceptional. None in the
camp could show as many colors to the
pan or find as many nuggets as they.
Notwithstanding the high cost of living
it was currently believed that they had
quite II snug hoard of glittering gold
stored in their cabin near the forks by
the cottonwoods. Although partners
they were known to have fierce quarrels
at times, and passers by on the trail in
the vicinity of their cabin frequently
heard the sound of oaths and sometimes
of blows. One day Flemming was seen
at work alone, thing which was never
known to have occurred before. Always
surly and disagreeable in his manner he
was now worse than ever, and to the
questions put to him as to where Holt
was, gruffiy and briefly replied that he
had pulled stakes and gone to his home
in Georgia. Nothing more was thought
of the matter for some time, until one day
letter was brought to miner in the
camp who had lived in the same town
from which Holt had come. The letter
was from the sister of the latter, ex-
pressing great anxiety at his long 81
lence, and also fears of foul play. This
was shown to number in the camp,
aild a few of the most self-asserting and
leading miners held a meeting in pri-
vate and resolved to take advantage OF
the first opportunity and make thor
ough search of Flemming's cabin. This
occurred On the very next day, and a
party of ten determined men proceeded
to the forks" early the following morn
ing, and, entering Flemming's abode,
made thorough search of its one little
room without discovering anything diff
ferent from what is usually seen in such
imprompu dwellings. Just as they
were passing over the threshold, how
ever, one of them tripped slightly over
some uneveness in the rough floor, and
casting his eyes down, saw what looked
like spot of blood. Quickly calling
the attention of the rest of the party
to his discovery, a more thorough
search was made and it was ascertained
that the floor had recently been re-
| moved. A few Of the boards were
quickly torn up and the earth had the
| appearance of having been recently
| disturbed. Shovels were at once put
| in requisition, and in few moments the
| partially decomposed corpse of Jack
| Holt was revealed. Flemming's guilt
was at once apparent. The party pro-
ceeded to the place where he was work.
ing, and covering him with their Colts,
with which indispensable weapon each
was provided, he was made prisoner and
taken to grove known as the Big
Pines.
The trial, as was characteristic of such
affairs, was very short, but under all
| the circumstances undoubtedly fair,
and. at it's conclusion, Tom Worman,
who was made Judge, both by reason o1
his being the most powerful man, phys
ically, in the camp and that he had
been apprenticed to an attorney when
q youth, but had run away after two
weeks of Blackstone and come West
addressed the prisoner in these terms
Bill Flemming, you've been tried by a
court of your equals and pards. The
law and the evidence prove you to be
| guilty of having killed your pard and
thrown your pay of life into the tailings,
If you have anything to say, now is the
time to open your sluice gates" Flem-
ming, however, maintain ed stubborn ST.
lence. But few minutes elasped when
he was sentenced to be hanged by the
neck until dead, and the sentence was
| at once executed. He was taken short
| distance down the small gulch, where
tall pine reached its lower limb. like
arms across the stream, when willing
hands quickly fastened rope around
his neck, the other end of which was
thrown around one of the branches,
and Bill Flemmings was launched into
eternity. The gluch has ever since,
been known as ''Hangman's Gulch.
Strange to say, the upper branches oi
this tree, in accordance with the popu-
lar legend of those on which man
has been hanged, are completely
withered and decayed on the side Of
the fatal imb.-Denver (Col.) Tribune.